NHL BRIEF: WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY EDITION – SEPT. 14, 2016
Welcome to the “NHL Brief: World Cup of Hockey Edition,” a daily collection of the latest news and notes from the tournament.
TUESDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
TEAM USA 3, Team Finland 2
TEAM USA EDGES TEAM FINLAND IN FINAL TUNE-UP FOR BOTH CLUBS
Team USA jumped out to a 3-0 lead by 5:34 of the second period off goals from T. J. Oshie (1-0—1), Ryan Kesler (1-1—2) and Derek Stepan (1-0—1) before holding off a furious third-period rally from Team Finland to close out their pre-tournament schedule with a 2-1-0 record.
* Goaltender Jonathan Quick made 30 saves to improve to 2-0-0 with a 1.80 goals-against average and .954 save percentage in two pre-tournament appearances.
* Team USA’s next game will be the World Cup of Hockey 2016 opener against Team Europe at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 17. Team Finland opens their tournament versus Team North America on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY
The 1996 and 2004 World Cup of Hockey tournaments both crowned champions on Sept. 14.
* Twenty years ago today at the first World Cup of Hockey ever staged, Team USA defeated Team Canada 5-2 in Game 3 of a best-of-three championship series. Tony Amonte’s tournament-winning goal broke a 2-2 tie with 2:35 remaining in regulation and goaltender Mike Richter was named tournament MVP.
* In the winner-take-all final of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, Team Canada defeated Team Finland 3-2. The game marked Mario Lemieux’s final appearance in a Team Canada jersey and just 52 seconds into the contest he threaded a cross-ice pass to set up Joe Sakic for the game’s opening goal. Forward Vincent Lecavalier was named tournament MVP.
Click here for a look at the game sheets from both contests.
NHL NETWORK ORIGINALS DOCUMENTARY SERIES DEBUTS TONIGHT
NHL Network will explore hockey’s rich history and tradition in its first-ever documentary series, NHL Network Originals. To mark the start of the World Cup of Hockey 2016, the first installment of NHL Network Originals is Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey, premiering tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET – 20 years to the day that Team USA defeated favored Team Canada to win the inaugural World Cup of Hockey.
A preview clip can be viewed here.
SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Team Czech Republic @ Team North America, 3:30 p.m., SN, SN1, TVAS, ESPN3
Team Sweden @ Team Europe, 7 p.m., SN360, TVAS2, ESPN3
Team Russia @ Team Canada, 7:30 p.m., SN, TVAS, ESPN2
PRE-TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE CLOSES WITH THREE-GAME SLATE
The World Cup of Hockey 2016 pre-tournament schedule closes with three games across two cities on Wednesday.
* Team Canada and Team Russia will continue their storied rivalry when they meet in the final tune-up for both clubs before World Cup of Hockey 2016. Longtime Penguins teammates and 2016 Stanley Cup champions Sidney Crosby (Team Canada) and Evgeni Malkin (Team Russia) will go head-to-head in front of their home crowd at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.
* Team Czech Republic will face Team North America, also at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. In their last game on Sept. 10, Team Czech Republic secured a 2-1 shootout win over Team Russia after captain Tomas Plekanec knotted the score with 1:11 remaining in regulation and Jakub Voracek and Ales Hemsky scored in the shootout. Team North America outscored Team Europe 11-4 in a pair of pre-tournament contests and is backstopped by Penguins Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Matt Murray.
* Team Sweden will face off against Team Europe at Verizon Center in Washington. Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom – who has been skating on a dynamic line alongside Filip Forsberg and Patric Hornqvist – will represent Team Sweden in front of his NHL home crowd while Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer is expected to see his first action with Team Europe.
LOOKING AHEAD…
Thursday, Sept. 15
World Cup of Hockey 2016 Media Day – Air Canada Centre
* Full schedule available on media.nhl.com
Friday, Sept. 16
Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village opens – Toronto’s Distillery District
Pepsi World Cup of Hockey Premiere Party – Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village
Saturday, Sept. 17
World Cup of Hockey 2016 tournament officially begins at Air Canada Centre:
3:30 p.m. – Team USA @ Team Europe
8:00 p.m. – Team Czech Republic @ Team Canada
REMINDER: WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY CREDENTIALS AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP
Media credential pick-up for World Cup of Hockey 2016 is now available at Air Canada Centre (Southside of the building facing Lake Shore Blvd.) daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Media are strongly encouraged to pick up their credential prior to Thursday’s World Cup of Hockey Media Day if possible.
A complete media schedule of events and other tournament publications and information can be found at media.nhl.com.
LOOSE PUCKS
Team Canada added forward Ryan O’Reilly to their roster, replacing Tyler Seguin…Tickets for Pepsi World Cup of Hockey Premiere Party featuring The Killers, Sam Roberts Band and Daya are available for purchase at ticketmaster.ca… Team Finland’s Patrik Laine – who was selected No. 2 overall by the Jets at the 2016 NHL Draft – scored his first goal of exhibition play… ICYMI: Team North America players Brandon Saad, John Gibson, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck – who all grew up playing hockey in the Pittsburgh area – as well as Penguins goaltender Matt Murray skated with 30 local minor hockey players after practice on Tuesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa.
